run flat CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2012 6.G Owners Manual

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
1-24 In Brief
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control, if equipped.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Premium Fuel
This vehicle's engine was designed
to use premium unleaded gasoline.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑48.
Battery
This vehicle has a maintenance free
battery. See Battery on page 10‑43
and Jump Starting on page 10‑82.
For Z06, ZR1, and manual
transmission Z16 (Grand Sport)
coupe models the battery is located
in the rear hatch/trunk area. Access
to the battery is not necessary to
jump start the vehicle. There are
positive (+) and negative (−)
terminals in the engine
compartment.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
4-2 Storage
Rear Storage
Convertible Shown, CoupeSimilar
There are two storage
compartments in the floor of the
hatch/trunk area; pull up to open
the cover. For the Z06 and ZR1, the right
compartment stores the battery and
cannot be used for storage.
Notice:
Do not store heavy or
sharp objects in the rear storage
compartments located in the
hatch/trunk area. The objects
could damage the underbody.
Rear Trunk Partition
For vehicles with the power
convertible top option only, there is
a trunk partition to keep cargo from
getting in the way of the convertible
top. The trunk partition must be in
place for the convertible top to
move. If the trunk partition is not
properly in place, a message will
display. See Convertible Top
Messages on page 5‑38 for
more information. The trunk partition is a flat carpeted
board with a horizontal flap that can
be attached to the top of the trunk
to divide the storage compartment.
It can be stored flat when not in use.
Pull the divider up and snap it onto
place on both sides of the trunk.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-19
Canada and Mexico
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status
indicator will light either ON or OFF,
or the on or off symbol, to let you
know the status of the front
outboard passenger frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbags.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag are allowed to inflate. If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑18 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
are at acceptable levels, to produce
a cleaner environment. This light
comes on when the vehicle is
placed in Service Only Mode, as a
check to show it is working. If it
does not, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer. See Ignition
Positions on page 9‑19 for more
information.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on and stays on while the
engine is running, this indicates that
there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-51
Tire Messages
HIGH TIRE PRESSURE
This message may be displayed
when one or more of the tires is
overinflated. This message also
displays LEFT FRONT,
RIGHT FRONT, LEFT REAR,
or RIGHT REAR to indicate which
tire is affected. You can receive
more than one tire pressure
message at a time. To read other
messages that may have been sent
at the same time, press the RESET
button . If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon
as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. SeeRun-Flat Tires on
page 10‑59, Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑14, Tire Pressure on
page 10‑66, and Tire Pressure
Monitor System on page 10‑68.
The DIC also shows the tire
pressure values. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑28. To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. A message
reappears every 10 minutes until the
condition is corrected.
LOW TIRE PRESSURE or TIRE
LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
{WARNING
When the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed on the
Driver Information Center, your
vehicle's handling capabilities will
be reduced during severe
maneuvers. The active handling
system will be affected. See
Active Handling System on
page 9‑38. If you drive too fast,
you could lose control of your
vehicle. You or others could
be injured. Do not drive over
90 km/h (55 mph) when the LOW
TIRE PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
message is displayed. Drive
cautiously and check your tire
pressures as soon as you can.
This message displays when one or
more of the tires is underinflated.
This message also displays LEFT
FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate
which tire is affected. Multiple
chimes sound and the tire pressure
light on the instrument panel cluster
turns on when this message is
displayed. See Tire Pressure Light
on page 5‑25. You can receive more
than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read other messages that
may have been sent at the same
time, press the RESET button. If a
tire pressure message appears on
the DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked
and set to those shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
5-52 Instruments and Controls
SeeRun-Flat Tires on page 10‑59,
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑14,
Tire Pressure on page 10‑66, and
Tire Pressure Monitor System on
page 10‑68. The DIC also shows
the tire pressure values. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑28.
To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. A message
reappears every 10 minutes until
the condition is corrected.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
This message displays if a part on
the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) is not working
properly. The tire pressure light also
flashes and then remains on during
the same ignition cycle. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5‑25. Several conditions may cause this
message to appear. See
Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10‑70 for more information.
If the warning comes on and stays
on, there may be a problem with the
TPMS. See your dealer.
TIRE FLAT
{WARNING
When the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed on the
Driver Information Center, your
vehicle's handling capabilities
will be reduced during severe
maneuvers. If you drive too fast,
you could lose control of your
vehicle. You or others could be
injured.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Do not drive over 55 mph
(90 km/h) when the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE or TIRE FLAT
message is displayed. Drive
cautiously and check your tire
pressures as soon as you can.
This message displays when
one or more of the tires is flat.
This message also displays
LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT,
LEFT REAR, or RIGHT REAR to
indicate which tire is affected.
Multiple chimes sound and the tire
pressure light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when this
message is displayed. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5‑25.

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-53
This message is followed by the
MAXIMUM SPEED 90 km/h
(55 MPH) message, and then by the
REDUCED HANDLING message.
The Active Handling System will
intervene more quickly when a flat
tire has been detected. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. To
read other messages that may have
been sent at the same time, press
the RESET button. If a tire pressure
message appears on the DIC, stop
as soon as you can. Have the tire
pressures checked and set to those
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. SeeRun-Flat
Tires on page 10‑59, Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑14, Tire Pressure
on page 10‑66, and Tire Pressure
Monitor System on page 10‑68. The
DIC also shows the tire pressure
values. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑28. To acknowledge the message, press
the RESET button. A message
reappears every 10 minutes until
the condition is corrected.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there
is a problem with the transmission.
See your dealer for service.
SHIFT TO PARK
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, this message displays
if the vehicle is not in P (Park) when
the engine is being turned off. The
vehicle will be in ACCESSORY.
Once the shift lever is moved to
P (Park), the vehicle will turn off.
The vehicle will remain in
ACCESSORY, without the 20 minute
time-out period, until the shift lever
is moved to P (Park) or until the
driver presses the pushbutton to
restart the vehicle. See
Ignition
Positions on page 9‑19 for more
information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and
four chimes sound if the
transmission fluid temperature
rises above 132°C (270°F) or rises
rapidly. The transmission may
shift gears or apply the torque
converter clutch to reduce the fluid
temperature. Driving aggressively or
driving on long hills can cause the
transmission fluid temperature to be
higher than normal. If this message
appears, you may continue to drive
at a slower speed. Monitor the
transmission fluid temperature and
allow it to cool to at least 110°C
(230°F). The transmission fluid
temperature can be monitored with
the gauges button on the DIC. See
“DIC Operation and Displays” under
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑28 andAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 10‑23.
Also check the engine coolant
temperature. If it is also hot, see
Engine Overheating on page 10‑34.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-7
point greater than 279°C (534°F).
After conversion to the high
performance brake fluid,
follow the brake fluid service
recommendations outlined by the
fluid manufacturer. Do not use
silicone or DOT‐5 brake fluids.
Z06, ZR1, and Grand Sport Coupe
manual transmission Only: For
racing or competitive driving, it is
recommended that the loading of
the vehicle be limited to the driver
only, with no other cargo, and that
tires be inflated to 180 kPa (26 psi)
for a maximum speed of 230 km/h
(143 mph).
If the vehicle is a Z06, ZR1,
or Grand Sport Coupe manual
transmission model, it has
greaseable outer ends on both of
the rear toe‐links. Under normal
use, lubrication should be performed
as described in the maintenanceschedule. See
Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3 and
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12. If using
the vehicle for racing, lubrication
should be performed at the end of
each racing day. See your dealer
for lubrication and make sure any
needed repairs are made at once.
Proper procedures for performing
these services can be found in
the service manual. See Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑17.
If the vehicle is used for racing or
other competitive driving, the rear
axle fluid temperatures may be
higher than would occur in normal
driving. We recommend that the
rear axle fluid be drained and
refilled with new fluid after every
24 hours of racing or competitive
driving. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑12 for
what fluid to use.ZR1 and Z06 with Z07
Performance Package Brake
Burnish Procedure
Notice: These procedures are
specific to the ZR1 and Z06
Performance Package with
ceramic brake rotors.
These procedures should not be
run on other Corvette models as
damage may result.
Notice: The new vehicle break‐in
period should be completed
before performing the brake
burnish procedure or damage
may occur to the powertrain/
engine. See New Vehicle Break-In
on page 9‑18.
When performed as instructed,
these procedures will not damage
the brakes. During the burnishing
procedure, the brake pads will
smoke and produce an odor. The
braking force and pedal travel may
increase. After the procedure is
complete, the brake pads may
appear white at the rotor contact.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Electrical System
Electrical SystemOverload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Sport Cup Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66 Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation . . . . 10-68
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-78
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93

Black plate (59,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-59
Winter Tires
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice covered roads is
expected. All season tires provide
good overall performance on most
surfaces, but they may not offer
the traction or the same level of
performance as winter tires on
snow or ice covered roads.
Winter tires, in general, are
designed for increased traction
on snow and ice covered roads.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.See your dealer for details
regarding winter tire availability and
proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on page 10‑74.
If using snow tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Run-Flat Tires
This vehicle, when new, had run-flat
tires. There is no spare tire, no tire
changing equipment, and no place
to store a tire in the vehicle.
The vehicle also has a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
that indicates a loss of tire pressure
in any of the tires.
{WARNING
If the low tire warning light
displays on the instrument panel
cluster, the handling capabilities
will be reduced during severe
maneuvers. Driving too fast could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured. Do not
drive over 90 km/h (55 mph)
when the low tire warning light is
displayed. Drive cautiously and
check the tire pressures as soon
as possible.

Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
10-60 Vehicle Care
If a tire goes flat, there is no need to
stop on the side of the road to
change the tire. Continue driving,
however, do not drive too far or too
fast. Driving on the tire may not be
possible if there is permanent
damage. The tire can be driven with
no air pressure for up to 105 km
(65 miles) at speeds slower than
90 km/h (55 mph). The shorter the
distance and the slower the speed,
the greater the chance the tire will
not have to be replaced. As soon as
possible, contact the nearest
authorized GM or run-flat servicing
facility for inspection and repair or
replacement. When driving on a
deflated run-flat tire, avoid potholes
and other road hazards that could
damage the tire and/or wheel
beyond repair. When a tire has been
damaged, or if driven any distance
on a deflated run-flat tire, check with
an authorized run-flat tire service
center to determine whether the
tire can be repaired or should be
replaced. To maintain the run-flat
feature, all replacement tires must
be run-flat tires.To locate the nearest GM or run-flat
servicing facility, call Roadside
Assistance. See
Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10 for details.
The valve stems on run-flat tires
have sensors that are part of the
TPMS. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑68. These
sensors contain batteries that are
designed to last for 10 years
under normal driving conditions.
See your dealer for wheel or sensor
replacement.
Notice: Using liquid sealants can
damage the tire valves and tire
pressure monitor sensors in the
run-flat tires. This damage is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Do not use liquid sealants in
run-flat tires.Low-Profile Tires
Low‐Profile Performance Tire
The original equipment tires on
this vehicle are classified as
low‐profile performance tires.
These tires are designed for
very responsive driving on wet
or dry pavement, however, may
produce more road noise and
tend to wear faster.
Notice: Low‐profile tires are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged